Nepal Climbing Fees: 97 Peaks Free for Two Years

Published on Aug 12, 2025, 8:06 am CDTUpdated on Aug 12, 2025, 10:52 am CDT

5 min read

Nepal will waive climbing royalties on 97 peaks in its far west for two years, a move intended to spread traffic and income across remote provinces. The waiver arrives alongside a confirmed increase in the Everest permit fee beginning in September 2025, with higher rates for spring and reduced rates in autumn and winter. Officials are also advancing a proposal to require a prior 7,000 meter Nepal summit for Everest aspirants. The combined steps aim to improve safety, manage capacity, and rebalance mountaineering in Nepal.

Key Points

Why it matters: Ninety seven peaks in western Nepal are royalty free for two years.
Travel impact: The Everest permit fee rises to $15,000 for the main spring season.
What's next: Lawmakers are debating a 7,000 meter Nepal experience rule for Everest.
Regional focus: Seventy seven peaks in Karnali, twenty in Sudurpashchim.
Timeframe: Government says the waiver began on July 17, 2025.

Snapshot Of Nepal Climbing Fees Changes

The fee waiver targets Karnali and Sudurpashchim, regions that see far fewer expeditions than the Khumbu and Annapurna corridors. Policymakers hope to redirect climbers to little visited massifs, then stimulate local guiding, porter work, and lodging investment. In parallel, the Everest permit fee climbs to $15,000 for April to May attempts starting in September 2025, with $7,500 in September to November and $3,750 in December to February. The carrot is reduced royalties in the west, and the stick is higher pricing on the country's most famous peak. Expedition leaders say budgets will still hinge on logistics, oxygen, and insurance, but planning is shifting for 2026 and 2027.

Background

Mountaineering royalties have long concentrated around Everest. Government data show 421 Everest permits in 2024, down from 479 in 2023, which underscores crowding risk around a single peak. Nepal's Supreme Court has directed the government to respect carrying capacity, and ministries have responded with pricing changes and policy proposals. Karnali, with the nearest major city in Nepalgunj about an hour by air from Kathmandu, and Sudurpashchim, with access via Dhangadhi and extended road journeys, remain logistics heavy. Veteran operators note that the waiver reduces upfront fees, but remote approaches still require time buffers, strong local partners, and robust evacuation planning.

Latest Developments

Everest Permit Fee Details, September 2025 Start

Nepal has confirmed a higher Everest permit fee starting in September 2025. The main spring window, April to May, will cost $15,000 per climber. Autumn attempts, September to November, will be priced at $7,500, and winter climbs, December to February, at $3,750. This is the first significant reset in years, and it reflects continued demand for the route despite crowding concerns and difficult seasons. Large outfitters expect only limited demand destruction in spring, since total expedition costs are still dominated by logistics and oxygen. Some teams are modeling shoulder season attempts where weather windows allow, trading price for uncertainty.

Royalty Waiver Covers 97 Peaks In West Nepal

Cabinet decisions and local reporting indicate that the two year waiver took effect on July 17, 2025. The list includes seventy seven peaks in Karnali and twenty in Sudurpashchim, generally between roughly 5,870 and 7,132 meters. Many are seldom visited because of thin transport links, limited mapping, and scarce rescue resources. Officials argue the waiver will seed new traffic patterns, shift income toward underdeveloped districts, and reduce pressure on iconic routes. Guides say the change lowers entry costs for training climbs, but expedition success will still depend on reliable access, local support, and conservative schedules.

Proposed 7,000 Meter Experience Rule For Everest

A draft measure before lawmakers would require Everest applicants to have summited at least one 7,000 meter Nepal peak. The proposal aligns with the Supreme Court's instruction to manage carrying capacity and improve safety. Expedition leaders are split. Some want a broader recognition of high altitude experience earned worldwide. Others prefer a clear domestic pathway, which would turn the newly promoted western summits into practical training steps. If adopted, the rule would change how climbers, guides, and insurers plan progression, with more time allocated to non technical but demanding objectives in the far west.

Analysis

Nepal is using three levers, price, access, and prerequisites, to manage risk and spread rewards. The Everest permit fee will grab headlines, but it is unlikely to meaningfully deter well financed spring expeditions. The relative gap between spring and autumn or winter is more interesting, since it will push a subset of small teams to pursue shoulder season attempts when forecasts align. The royalty waiver is the bolder change for regional equity. Karnali and Sudurpashchim require longer approaches, staged resupplies, and patient weather watching, all of which favor operators with strong local partnerships. If the 7,000 meter experience rule passes, those 97 peaks become a formal ladder for Everest, hardening a skills pathway that lowers aggregate risk. Success depends on incremental investment in transport, communications, and rescue corridors. Without those, fee relief alone will not deliver safe or reliable outcomes for mountaineering in Nepal.

Final Thoughts

For 2026 and 2027, planners should expect a modest shift away from peak season Everest attempts, more training climbs in the far west, and tighter scrutiny of team experience. The package pairs a higher Everest permit fee with a two year royalty holiday that spotlights new objectives. Execution, not policy, will determine results. If access and rescue improve alongside the waiver, Nepal can reduce crowding on classic routes while strengthening local income. That is the real promise of the evolving Nepal climbing fees framework.